SAN DIEGO (Court TV) — Chaos erupted in a California courtroom twice on Monday: First, a medical emergency derailed proceedings; then, the gallery began shouting at the defendant.
Larry Millete sits in court during his sentencing on Nov. 2, 2026. (Court TV)
Larry Millete, 45, was convicted of first-degree murder in the presumed death of his missing wife, Maya Millete, 39, who disappeared from the couple’s home in January 2021. A jury rejected the defendant’s claim that he was innocent after hearing testimony that he had hired spellcasters to try to make the victim “get sick and stay sick” and “banish everyone from her life with the exception of family.”
Prosecutor Christy Bowles said the defendant killed his wife because she planned to leave him. “Maya Millete had been planning to divorce the defendant, and she was afraid of what he would do, that he would react with violence when she told him,” Bowles said. “She was concerned at every turn for the well-being of her children. She was fearful of how divorce would affect them, but also that the defendant might hurt them to hurt her.”
Bowles said that Maya Millete had considered leaving the defendant previously and had written a letter to her daughters in 2011 explaining her reasons. “I don’t think I can any more with your dad,” Bowles read from the letter. “He’s physically abusive. Not to mention his verbal assaults that he freely gives without any bit of remorse. I want to be strong, to keep strong and start over. I need to be strong so he will never put his hands on me again.”
Maya Millete’s family delivered emotional victim impact statements, describing the victim as “outgoing and bubbly.” “During the first few months after Maya disappeared, [my husband] and I argued about you, Larry,” the victim’s sister-in-law said. “I was on your side the first time I told [my husband] that I did not believe that you could do these things to Maya. I believed that you loved Maya too much to hurt her. You looked me in the eye and assured me, both in person and in text messages, that you could never do this.”
Tears rolled down Larry Millete’s face as he watched a video of his children’s victim impact statements. “It’s so hard to believe that my dad, who taught me everything I know, could have done something like this to me and the rest of my family,” one of the couple’s daughters said. “I’ll forever keep loving him, though. Because even if people see him as a bad person, he will never be seen as a bad father in my eyes.”
Larry Millete’s parents stood in court to deliver statements on their son’s behalf. “I thank God for giving me a son like you,” his mother said. “No matter how old you get, you’re always my little boy. Wherever life takes you, my love is always with you. I love you forever and always. I am not ashamed of you. I am proud of you because I know that you did not hurt anybody.”
Larry Millete’s father also stood to speak, saying that the defendant denied hurting the victim “nine times” when asked. “I think he did nothing wrong.” As Bowles began to object to the defendant’s father’s statements, the older man clutched his chest. He repeatedly yelled, gripping his chest, “I got the pacemaker! It is attacking me!” He was led from the courtroom and taken by ambulance to a hospital.
The defendant then addressed the courtroom, saying that his “only regret” was that he couldn’t protect his wife. “I know I wasn’t the best, greatest husband, but I would consider myself a decent and good husband. I’m not a monster. I’m not a bad person.”
As Larry Millete continued, he said, “I miss her every day,” and began to address his wife’s family, saying, “I see you shaking your head.”
At that point, Maya Millete’s family began to shout back at the defendant. “Where’s Maya?” one person yelled. “Why did you f—g kill her?” another screamed. Deputies removed them from the courtroom.
“In the court’s observation, [the defendant] remains as stoic with flat affect today as he has in every other court hearing,” Judge Enrique Camarena Jr. said as he began to pronounce the sentence. “For the record, the court does not find he demonstrated humility or acceptance of responsibility. He has maintained a posture of denial and defiance.”
Camarena sentenced Larry Millete to 25 years to life for the murder charge and two years on a weapons charge, to be served consecutively to the first. The defendant was given credit for 1,841 days of time served.
Describing Larry Millete’s behavior after his wife’s disappearance as “abhorrent,” Camarena suggested that the defendant consider revealing the location of her body. “The court does express its hope that even at this late stage, that you’ll choose to provide the information,” he said. “It won’t change the guilt judgment. It won’t change the sentence as required by law. But it might constitute a measure of some accountability.”
Camarena also imposed a 10-year protective order forbidding Larry Millete from contacting his children, but said the kids can petition the court to modify the order once they are adults.
